Method for confirming touch input

• US 8,312,372 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Christina, Henion, George, Hofmeister, Nick
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): STITT, ERIK V
• Application Number:
  US11/352,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20070192692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,468 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702, 715/708, 715/709, 715/810, 715/764, 345/810, 345/768
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A system and method for confirming touch input with a touch-sensitive display that includes detecting contact with a touch-sensitive display at coordinates corresponding with a control. An animated rendering on the touch-sensitive display is displayed, and an action is performed at a conclusion of the animated rendering if contact with the touch-sensitive display at the coordinates corresponding with the control is detected throughout a time period extending from initiation to the conclusion of the animated rendering.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, the computing environment comprising a display, the display configured to be used as an input-receiving device, a method of preventing inadvertent interaction with the display from causing an action to be performed, the method comprising steps of:

detecting a contact with a display at an original location at coordinates corresponding with a target;

in response to a detected contact, beginning to display an animated rendering on the display proximate to the target and continuing to display portions of the animated rendering on the display proximate to the target so long as contact remains with the display, including the animated rendering moving;

if the contact is maintained throughout the animated rendering, including not continuous contact at the original location, but rather the user contact following the movement of the animated rendering to a location other than the original location, while maintaining contact with the animated rendering to follow the animated rendering as the animated rendering moves from the original location to the location other than the original location, then performing an action including at least one of exiting a software application, purchasing a product or service, or performing an irrevocable action in a gaming application, at the conclusion of the animated rendering as a result of detecting that the contact was maintained throughout a time period extending from initiation to conclusion of the animated rendering and wherein the period extending from the initiation to conclusion of the animated rendering is a period included in the range of one-half second to one minute so as to prevent the action as a result of inadvertent contact with the display, and if the contact is interrupted prior to an end of the animated rendering, ceasing displaying the animated rendering and not performing the action and resetting a control for performing the action.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the animated rendering includes modifying a color of at least a portion of the animated rendering.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the animated rendering includes modifying at least one of a width, a length, a color gradient, and a color spectrum of at least a portion of the animated rendering.

4. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising playing audio data so long as contact is maintained with the display, including playing a song clip.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the animated rendering includes moving a portion of an image associated with the target.

6. The method recited in claim 1, further including steps of:

loading a software application with a theme; and

selecting the animated rendering to have visual elements corresponding with the theme.

7. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of displaying the target prior to the step of detecting contact.

8. The method recited in claim 1, wherein performing the action includes exiting a software application.

9. A method for ensuring confirmation of a command input in an application, the method comprising steps of:

displaying, on a display, a user interface having a target;

detecting contact with the display at an original location at coordinates corresponding to the target;

in response to the detected contact, displaying an animated feedback confirmation graphic proximate to the target, the animated feedback confirmation graphic having a theme associated with the application and the animated feedback confirmation graphic being displayed in an animated rendering so long as contact is maintained with the display, and wherein the animated rendering causes the confirmation graphic to move;

if the contact is maintained with the display proximate to the confirmation graphic throughout the animated rendering including user contact not continuous at the original location, but rather following the movement of the image to a location other than the original location, while maintaining contact with the animated rendering to follow the animated rendering as the animated rendering moves from the original location to the location other than the original location, then performing an action including at least one of exiting a software application, purchasing a product or service, or performing an irrevocable action in a gaming application, at the conclusion of the animated rendering as a result of detecting that the contact was maintained throughout a time period extending from initiation to conclusion of the animated rendering and wherein the period extending from the initiation to conclusion of the animated rendering is a period included in the range of one-half second to one minute so as to prevent the action as a result of inadvertent contact with the display, and if the contact is interrupted prior to an end of the animated rendering, ceasing displaying the animated rendering and not performing the action and resetting a control for performing the action.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the step of displaying the animated feedback confirmation graphic includes modifying a color of at least a portion of the animated rendering.

11. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the step of displaying the animated feedback confirmation graphic includes positioning the graphic around at least 50% of the target.

12. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the step of displaying the animated feedback confirmation graphic includes modifying at least one of a width and a length of at least a portion of the animated rendering.

13. The method recited in claim 9, further including steps of:

loading a software application with a theme; and

selecting the animated feedback confirmation graphic to have visual elements corresponding with the theme.

14. The method recited in claim 9, further including a step of performing an irrevocable action after a predetermined period of time.

15. In a computing environment, the computing environment comprising a touch-sensitive display configured to be used as an input-receiving device, a method comprising steps of:

displaying a control for a software application on a touch-sensitive display;

detecting contact with the touch-sensitive display at an original location at coordinates corresponding with the control;

displaying an animated rendering, including the animated rendering moving, on the touch-sensitive display in response to the detected contact and continuing to display portions of the animated rendering on the display so long as contact remains with the display, including not continuous contact at the original location, but rather the user contact following the movement of the animated rendering; and

exiting the software application at the conclusion of the animated rendering as a result of detecting that the contact was maintained throughout a time period extending from initiation to conclusion of the animated rendering and wherein the period extending from the initiation to conclusion of the animated rendering is a period included in the range of one-half second to one minute so as to prevent the exiting the software application as a result of inadvertent contact with the display and if the contact is interrupted prior to an end of the animated rendering, then ceasing displaying the animated rendering and not performing the action and resetting the control.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the step of displaying the animated rendering includes modifying a color of at least a portion of the animated rendering.

17. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the step of displaying the animated rendering includes modifying at least one of a width, a length, a color gradient, and a color spectrum of at least a portion of the animated rendering.

18. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the step of displaying the animated rendering includes providing an audible signal.

19. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the step of displaying the animated rendering includes moving a portion of an image associated with the control.

20. The method recited in claim 15, further including a step of selecting the animated rendering to have visual elements corresponding with a theme of the software application.